Beth Schiavino-Narvaez named superintendent of Hartford Public Schools

Beth Schiavino-Narvaez named superintendent of Hartford Public Schools

Beth Schiavino-Narvaez, a deputy superintendent in Montgomery County Schools in Maryland, was named superintendent of Hartford Public Schools in Connecticut in April. She has worked in Montgomery County since 2011, where she oversees the district’s 202 schools and supervises principals. She will start the job in Hartford on July 1.

President-elect of AASA

David R. Schuler, superintendent of High School District 214 in Arlington Heights, Ill., was recently elected 2014-15 president-elect of the AASA. He serves on the organization’s executive committee after having served on its governing board from 2007 to 2011. He is also a member of the Illinois Association of School Superintendents.

Distinguished principal of the year

Doris Candelarie was named 2014 Colorado National Distinguished Principal of the Year by the Colorado Association of Elementary School Principals in April. She is principal of Alicia Sanchez International Elementary School in Boulder Valley School District, and turned around the low-performing, high poverty school during her six-year tenure. Changes included extending the school day and hiring more counselors to work with families.

Anti-bullying law

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill in April designed to build on the state’s 2010 anti-bullying law by strengthening protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and students with disabilities. The new law also requires schools to report bullying data annually to state education officials.

Wiretapping citation withdrawn

Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. withdrew a citation against a South Fayette High School student who was convicted of disorderly conduct after he recorded other students allegedly bullying him in April. School officials called the police to report it as a “wiretapping incident,” since it is illegal in the state to record people without their consent. “No one in our office who is authorized to give advice on wiretap issues or school conduct issues was ever contacted on this matter,” Zappala’s office stated. “We do not believe this behavior rises to the level of a citation.”